Reviews: Lathes

Hey Everyone, Just got My Jet 1642 EVS pro 1 1/2 hp. Awesome. I will tell you the set up was easy, 1/2 hour at most, needed an extra set of hands to balance the legs while attatching the Way to them. Thank You Dann. It was my own fault, if I had read the directions I would have noticed that they will balace on their own if you do not attatch the feet first. In otherwords, Put it together first then lift the whole thing up and install the feet. Everything goes together very nicely. Fit ...

Today I ordered a new JET JWL-1442VSK wood lathe. The dealer did not have one in-stock, but it is to be delivered from the distribution center on Friday per his promise.
I would like to thank ND2ELK for introducing me to LumberJocks.com. The reviews and forums were a great help to me.
One of the reasons I chose this particular lathe is the accessories I have for my JET 1014 lathe are nearly all usable on the larger unit. My small lathe, which I have been using for three or four years, w...

I have had my Nova 1624 Lathe for a almost 6 months. It is a quality machine. However as easy as it is to do, I hate changing the belt to change speeds. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about a new, more powerful lathe. Something with variable speed, larger capacity, more horsepower, and something that will quench my lust for bigger and better.
I initially thought I had a great deal on a Powermatic 3560b. It turned out to be not true. At the same time I started reexamining Busy Bee’s Craf...

Hi again friends, I have had 2 Performax mini wood lathes. Both of them had some good features, price, variable speed, gaurantee etc. I purchesd the original one from Menard’s in North Platte Ne. I burned out the motor on the first one. They sent another complete lathe, and a few weeks later, I was going to use it and it wouldn’t turn on. They again gave me a new one. Fantastic business to do business with!
While I was in need of a lathe, I purched a new JET JWL-1220VS...

I’d been using a Carba-Tec mini-lathe for so long I can’t remember when I bought it.When my 65th birthday came around (remember my b’day cake?)I decided to get the variable speed version. A while back I had tried to make my old mini-lather variable but you just can’t do that with an old AC motor
So here is a picture of the new one right out of the box
I also order a 4 jaw chuck so I could try some new turning stuff.
One thing that surprised me is the tool kit ...

I had been looking for a bigger lathe for some time. Larger Jets, Powermatics, One-Ways, Stubbys, Nova, Grizzly, etc. I had been doing pretty well with my old (hybrid) Jet JWL-1236. I had bought it from a guy used who had bought an old head and mated it to a newer bed and tail stock then crafted his own welded steel and cast iron support for it. It was obviously something thrown together but worked pretty well for me. I didn’t have the full range of speeds (6) that I was suppoed to have...

Some of you may remember my blog post regarding this Christmas Gift . I just wanted to post a review now that I have used it for a while….
Assembly: Ouch! Get help, Get a Friend but whatever you do don’t do it by yourself! It’s heavy and unwieldy; you could easily hurt yourself if you are not careful. Make sure you assemble it where you plan to leave it, moving it is no simple chore. Make sure there is enough room behind it for the cage to open fully and plenty of room on...

Thanks go to Tim Dorcas for his thorough review on the 1624-44. It helped me a lot with my choice. Instead of rehashing Tim’s review I will outline anything I have discovered or observed since his review and highlight my likes/dislikes.
I have had my eye on the 1624 for a while and I decided to buy because Woodcraft had them in stock and on sale this month. My Jet 1220 was on its way to a new home this morning thanks to Craigslist.
My impressions after 4 days with the 1624:
Ass...

The Grizzly G0462 Wood Lathe is an enticing machine based on it’s price point, horse power, and features. I would not recommend it. Don’t get me wrong, I have made some fairly nice pieces on it. However, I wish I had never purchased it. In one year I have replaced the belt around 10 times, replaced all bearings, replaced the tool rest, and replaced the tail stock hand wheel twice. The tail stock and head stock do not align, it vibrates, and is noisy.

EDIT:
I have now had this lathe for over a year now, and I am still very happy with it. I have now turned bowls, pens, spindles etc… on it, and it has done very well. I still haven’t pulled the trigger on the extension, but to be perfectly honest, I haven’t had a need for an extension yet. I did purchase a barracuda chuck system from PSI, as well as a new set of Benjamin Best lathe chisels.
The motor has held up well, and I am still on the first belt that came with it....